


Research and Whatnot

by Kalloway



Series: Research/Stuck [1]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:26:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24567655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalloway/pseuds/Kalloway
Summary: Bernadetta needs a bit of help with a story.
Relationships: Seteth/Bernadetta von Varley
Series: Research/Stuck [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1801399
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8
Collections: The Lemonade Cafe





	Research and Whatnot

**Author's Note:**

> from a prompt, 'Let me finish this one thing alone '

"You've been gripped by quite the tale." 

Bernadetta looked up at her husband and then nodded. 

"Might you be willing to share?" he asked after a moment, during which she'd returned to her notebook. 

"No," she said quickly. "This one's mine for now, and I'll need to find another spot to work on it." 

That wouldn't be difficult, given how large the monastery was and how many hidden or off-limits areas it boasted. She'd find a spot, at least for a few days until Seteth found her again. It wasn't as if she didn't return to their chambers to sleep and she tried to turn up for one meal a day... 

"Very well." Seteth turned and, with only one glance back in her direction, he was gone. 

At least he hadn't asked what she was working on. He probably already knew because she hadn't mentioned wanting to work on anything. She hadn't mentioned any of the outlines she had been working on or anything else. But he knew about--

She'd nearly finished with what she'd wanted to get done, at least for the day, and now she was utterly distracted... 

Once she was sure Seteth was gone, she capped her ink and scooped up her notebooks and pens. 

It was all Sylvain's fault, Bernadetta thought as she debated where to go next. There was the cell hidden near the library, or that lovely closet with the false back... There were a few tombs that were pleasant as well, though not so much for what she needed to write. She'd tried that once and it had been a little disconcerting, especially when there had been the tiniest of noises back once she started talking a scene out loud. 

She did not want ghosts listening to her talk about... 

Two years previous, Sylvain had visited for reasons that Bernadetta couldn't even remember. It had been official business, but of course she'd gotten flustered and dropped a notebook and of course Sylvain had read it. He owned all of her novels and short stories, so it wasn't a surprise-- He was one of her biggest fans, but... 

The notebook she'd dropped had been full of racy stories that she'd never dreamed of letting anyone else see! 

She'd refused his offer-- fourteen times! --to finance their publication before finally giving in and handing over two additional notebooks and insisting on using a name that was absolutely not her own. 

The rest was like unto a legend, or perhaps one of her dear husband's fables, in some way. The first printing sold out within days, then a second printing and third and... 

The worst part, or maybe it was the best part, was that Bernadetta couldn't even claim authorship, even when her pen-name had outsold her own work by a mortifying amount. Not that she necessarily wanted to, given some of the furor. She could run, but not that fast. At one point, one faction had even asked the Church to properly condemn her "unholy filth" but the Church had politely refused and issued a statement about consensual adults and not much else. 

It was sort of terrible and yet, here she was, happily working on what was going to be another volume of short stories, just as racy as the last. She had ten tales already, compared to the last volume's twelve. That meant she needed to finish her current one and then one more before Sylvain stopped by in a week, on "business", to collect her notebooks and pretend he had no idea where he'd found them of that they were on their way to a publisher. 

Given his reputation, Bernadetta was fairly sure most people thought he was the author. He certainly wasn't bad with words if the repeated fan letters he wrote here were anything to go by. But that couldn't be farther from the truth... She'd even written a... fairly veiled version of Sylvain's own story in, though she'd certainly used her imagination for everything that happened behind her characters' closed door. Hopefully Sylvain was so lucky... 

One flight of stairs and three turns and Bernadetta ducked into an easily-missed nook of an office that she'd never seen anyone use aside from herself. Hopefully she'd at least be able to finish the scene she'd been working on. It had been difficult enough before Seteth had interrupted and-- 

Maybe she could ask him to help her with a bit of research. She wouldn't lie and say her experiences hadn't worked their way into a few stories, but none were outright based on things she and Seteth had done. That could possibly change, if he didn't mind too much. He hadn't complained when little bits of their life worked their way into her normal novels. Surely, she'd seen herself in his work. As long as nothing got too personal... 

Three lines later, Bernadetta gathered everything up and darted off in the direction of Seteth's office, thankful that the door was open and that he was alone. 

"Bernadetta?" he asked, looking up and obviously confused as she quickly closed the door and locked it. "Did something happen?" 

"I'm okay, nobody after me, no ghosts or anything," she replied quickly as she turned and then dumped her things onto the nearest flat surface. "I just need a really quick favor. For research, for..." 

She would have to remember the succession of expressions on Seteth's face and draw them later, for his dawning realization of what she'd come to ask about was a thing that needed to be preserved. 

"If you have time, I mean, and aren't too busy and--" 

"What do you need?" Seteth asked as he pushed his chair back. "Surely, if this is for... your side-work..." 

"I need you to pin me up against the wall," Bernadetta said quickly. "I need to know how it feels. I've never had it happen, I always got away if I thought... I mean, not that... You should probably forget I said anything or even asked and I should probably..." 

She did not think of Seteth as particularly fast, but this time he surprised her. This time, the strength he kept hidden had her in his arms, against the door, both of her wrists in one of his hands above her head, a thigh between her legs, his body against her... 

It was perfect. 

"Like this?" Seteth questioned. "It's hardly--" 

"Keep holding me and kiss me," Bernadetta replied. The initial shock had worn off and the position was far more exciting than anything. 

"Is this still research?" Seteth asked before complying. 

Mostly, Bernadetta thought as she kissed him back and shifted the tiny bit she could against him. His other hand reached between her and the door, pulling her closer while still keeping his full weight from her-- 

Everything that happened after had nothing to do with research, however, though it did certainly give Bernadetta a wealth of new ideas. 

She didn't say much to Sylvain when he stopped the next week to pick up her work. The extra notebook she included said it all.


End file.
